Hydraulic operated fog nozzle



May 16, 1961 E. VOGT ET AL 2,984,422

HYDRAULIC OPERATED FOG NOZZLE Filed Jan. 25. 1959 Jamil: V21 2 Fradarw/r limit HYDRAULIC OPERATED FOG NOZZLE Louis E. Vogt, 2944 Lake Ave., Rochester, N.Y.; Frederick J. Decker, 101 Brook Road, Pittsford, N.Y.; and Mahlon H. Gregg, 336 Berkeley St., Rochester 6, NY.

Filed Jan. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 788,535

3 Claims. (Cl. 239-456) This invention relates to fire-fighting apparatus and refers more particularly to hose nozzles of the type that are adjustable to emit either a solid stream or a wide angled spray. Nozzles of this general type are well known, but heretofore such nozzles always had to be adjusted manually, directly at the nozzle, and consequently firemen found it dilficult to use nozzles of this type in remote locations, where they could not be di rectly attended. Usually such a nozzle could not be fixed to the top of an extensible ladder because of the need for effecting adjustments to it at the nozzle itself, and, as a result, such nozzles were often not used in situations where they could have been most effective.

The present invention seeks to overcome this objection and, to that end, has as its purpose to provide an improved, adjustable fire hose nozzle which may be remotely controlled to produce the desired type of output.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a fire hose nozzle of the character described having hydraulic pressure responsive means for adjustment thereof, whereby the nozzle can be conveniently controlled from a remote point and can therefore be mounted on the end of an extensible ladder and regulated from control means located on the ground or on a truck on which the ladder is carried.

Still another object of this invention resides in the provision of a fire hose nozzle of the character described, equipped with hydraulic pressure responsive means to effeet the adjustment thereof, and wherein the means for obtaining such adjustment permits direct manual adjustment of the nozzle and otherwise entails no loss of those features which have heretofore been found to be desirable in such nozzles.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which Figure l is a side view of the rear end portion of a fire truck equipped with an extensible ladder, illustrating one manner in which the hose nozzle of this invention can be mounted and manipulated; and

Figure 2 is a view partly in longitudinal section and partly in elevation, of a fire hose nozzle constructed in accordance with this invention.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 5 designates generally the nozzle of this invention, which comprises, in general, an inner tubular section 6 having a front end and a rear end, an internited States Patent mediate tubular section 7, an outer tubular section 8,

and a valve head 9.

Mounted on the rear end of the inner tubular section 6 is a coupling member 10 by which the nozzle may be detachably connected to a suitable fitting 11 on the end of a hose 12. It will be apparent that the inner section:

6 of the nozzle is its stationary part, and that other members must move relative to the inner section to effect noz-' zle adjustment.

The intermediate section 7 is shorter than the inner section and encircles the latter, being connected thereto by threads 13 in the manner commonly employed in adjustable fire hose nozzles of this type, so that rotation of the intermediate section relative to the inner section results in back and forth movement of the intermediate section. A handle 14 fixed to the rear end portion of the intermediate section provides means for turning the same to effect manual axial adjustment thereof along the length of the inner section.

The outer tubular section 8 has a first bore 34 in which the front end portion of the inner section 6 is snugly but slidably received and a second larger bore 35, coaxial with the first and rearwardly of it, in which the front end portion of the intermediate section 7 snugly slidably fits. The outer section projects forwardly be yond the front end of the inner section to define the mouth 16 of the nozzle. Behind its open front end the mouth 16 is abruptly reduced in diameter to provide a valve seat 17 which cooperates with the valve head 9. The valve head is fixed on the outer end of a stem 18, which in turn is secured in the open front end of the inner sec tion 6. Accordingly, when the outer section 8 is moved axially relative to the inner section 6, the space between the valve seat 17 and the valve head 9 is either increased or decreased and, as a result, the pattern of the stream issuing from the nozzle is adjusted. The manner in which these elements cooperate to eifect this desired adjustment is, of course, old and well known, and forms no part of this invention.

With the nozzle of this invention, such relative axial adjustment of the inner and outer sections to control the pattern of the stream issuing from the nozzle can be effected from a remote point, as well as manually at the nozzle; hence, as shown for instance in Figure 1, when the nozzle itself is at the very top of an extensible ladder 19, the nozzle can be adjusted from the ground or from a fire truck 20 upon which the ladder is mounted. Re mote control of the nozzle is provided for by a cylinder and piston means, indicated generally by the numeral 22, connectible through hose lines 23 and 24 with a remote source of hydraulic pressure.

The cylinder of the cylinder and piston means is defined by a counterbore 25 in the rear portion of the outer section, which counterbore is closed at its rear end by a cap 26 fixed thereto as by cap screws 27. Encircling the intermediate section 7 and projecting from it medially of its ends is a flange 28 which is slidably received in the cylinder to provide the piston of the cylinder and piston means. The cylinder defining portion of the outer section has a pair of ports 29 and 30 opening to its counterbore at opposite sides of the piston, and these are provided with suitable fittings 29 and 30' to which the hose lines 23 and 24 are respectively connected. Thus it is possible to create a fluid pressure diiferential at either side of the piston, and thereby cause the outer section 8 to move axially one way or the other with respect to the intermediate section 7.

To assure against fluid pressure leakage, O-rings 32, or their equivalent, are provided between the intermediate section and the outer section, and between the piston and the cylinder wall.

The fluid pressure lines 23 and 24 are preferably connected to a source of fluid pressure (not shown) through a conventional fire hose reel, indicated generally by the numeral 33; and the balance of the pressures at opposite sides of the piston by which its axial position is determined, is controllable by any suitable valve unit regulated by a handle 34.

It will be understood that manual adjustment of the nozzle can be effected at any time by rotating the intermediate section by means of the handle 14, the resultant forward or rearward axial movement of the intermediate section being transmitted to the outer member by means of the piston flange 28. If there is pressure fluid in the cylinder, movement of the piston will be transmitted to the cylinder through the pressure fluid and the intermediate and outer members will maintain the relative positions to which they are adjusted by the hydraulic control means. Hence, the remote control afforded by handle 34 can be manually overridden at the nozzle. If there is no pressure fluid in the cylinder, axial movement of the intermediate member is transmitted to the outer member by direct engagement of the piston flange 28 against the cap 26, to move the outer section rearwardly, or against the shoulder 36 at the bottom of the counterbore 25 to move the outer section forwardly.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that this invention makes possible the complete and fine adjustment of a fire hose nozzle both directly at the nozzle and at a point far remote therefrom, and thus makes it entirely practicable and feasible to mount such nozzles on the top of extensible ladders and to regulate the type of stream issuing from the nozzle from apparatus on which the ladder is mounted.

What is claimed as our invention is:

1. A fire hose nozzle comprising: a tubular inner section having front and rear ends with means at its rear end for connecting the same to a hose; a tubular intermediate section threaded onto and encircling the inner section; a tubular outer section having a first bore in which the front end portion of the inner section is slidably telescoped and a second larger bore rearwardly of the first bore and in which the front end portion of the intermediate section is slidably telescoped, so that the outer section is axially adjustable with respect to the inner section by moving in unison with the intermediate section as that section moves endwise as a result of relative. rotation between it and the inner section, and also by being moved endwise with respect to the intermediate section; cooperating flow controlling means on the front ends of the inner and outer sections operable by relative axial adjustment of said inner and outer sections to control the pattern of the stream issuing from the nozzle; manually operable means for effecting relative rotation between the inner and, intermediate sections; and power means for effecting relative axial motion between the intermediate and outer sections from a point remote from the nozzle comprising means fixed with respect to the outer section forming a cylinder encircling a portion of the intermediate section, and piston means fixed with respect to the intermediate section and slidably fitting the cylinder so that by connecting the cylinder with a source of fluid pressure the outer section may be moved endwise with respect to the intermediate section and thus also with respect to the inner section.

2. A fire hose nozzle comprising: a tubular inner member having front and rear ends with means at its rear end for connecting the same to a hose; a tubular intermediate section threaded onto and encircling the inner member; a tubular outer section having a first bore in which the front end portion of the inner member is slidably telescoped and a second larger bore rearwardly of the first bore and in which the front end portion of the intermediate section is slidably telescoped, so that the outer section is axially adjustable with respect to the inner member by moving in unison with the intermediate section as that section moves endwise as a result of relative rotation between it and the inner member, and also by being moved endwise with respect to the intermediate section; cooperating flow controlling means on the front ends of the inner member and the outer section operable by relative axial adjustment of said inner member and outer section to control the pattern of the stream issuing from the nozzle; manually operable means for effecting relative rotation between the inner member and the intermediate section; and power means for effecting relative axial motion between the intermediate and outer sections from a point remote from the nozzle comprising means fixed with respect to one of said sections forming a cylinder closed at its ends and encircling a portion of the other section rearwardly of said front end of the intermediate section, a flange on said other section inside the cylinder slidably fitting the bore thereof so as to form a piston in the cylinder, and the cylinder having ports at its opposite ends selectively connectible with a source of fluid pressure whereby the outer section may be moved endwise with respect to the intermediate section and thus also with respect to the inner member.

3. The fire hose nozzle of claim 2, wherein the means forming the cylinder is a counterbore in the outer sec tion opening to its rear end, wherein the bottom of the counterbore closes one end of the cylinder, and wherein a collar fixed to the rear end of the outer section closes the other end of the cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,552,444 Nielsen May 8, 1951 2,593,921 Robinson Apr. 22, 1952 2,707,483 Shafer May 3, 1955 2,711,929 Nielsen June 28, 1955 2,747,939 Caird May 29, 1956 2,816,800 Russell Dec. 17, 1957 2,834,416 Becker May 13, 1958 

